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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name                   = Benquet
|commune status         = [[Communes of France|Commune]]
|image                  = Benquet bourg 1.JPG
|caption                = Town hall
|arrondissement         = Mont-de-Marsan
|canton                 = Mont-de-Marsan-2
|INSEE                  = 40037
|postal code            = 40280
|mayor                  = Pierre Mallet<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|website=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=2 December 2020|language=fr}}</ref>
|term                   = 2020&ndash;2026
|intercommunality       = [[Mont-de-Marsan Agglomération]]
|coordinates            = {{coord|43.8308|-0.5006|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m            = 60
|elevation min m        = 46
|elevation max m        = 91
|area km2               = 29.33
|population             = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes   = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
}}
'''Benquet''' ({{IPA|fr|bɛ̃kɛ}}) is a [[Communes of France|commune]] in the [[Landes (department)|Landes]] [[Departments of France|department]] in [[Nouvelle-Aquitaine]] in southwestern [[France]].<ref>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/metadonnees/geographie/commune/40037-benquet INSEE commune file]</ref>
==Geography==
Benquet is situated {{Convert|5|mi|km|0}} south of [[Mont-de-Marsan]], at the confines of the [[Landes forest]] and of the agricultural region of [[Chalosse]]. It is {{Convert|55|mi|km|0}} from the [[Atlantic Ocean]].
Neighboring cities are: [[Saint-Pierre-du-Mont, Landes|Saint-Pierre-du-Mont]], [[Bretagne-de-Marsan]], [[Saint-Maurice-sur-Adour]], [[Saint-Sever]], [[Bas-Mauco]], [[Haut-Mauco]].
==History==
Benquet, belonging to the former royal province of [[Gascony]], was under the rule of the abbey of Saint Sever. Jehan Bernard de Benquet, vassal of the prince of [[Navarre]], had the title of Sénéchal of Marsan and of Gabardan. Fights with French [[Huguenots]] are reported here.
==Population==
{{Historical populations
|source = INSEE<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/7633058?geo=COM-40037#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE</ref>
|percentages = pagr
|align = left
|1968 |828
|1975 |1039
|1982 |1154
|1990 |1240
|1999 |1291
|2009 |1471
|2014 |1618
|2020 |1878
}}
Its inhabitants are called ''Benquetois'' in French.
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==Economy==
Mostly corn-growing, breeding (ducks, geese), foie-gras making. Agri-foodstuff research center.
==Twin cities==
Benquet is the twin village of [[Muespach-le-Haut]], on the German border. As a matter of fact, population from [[Alsace]] flew their region and found shelter in South-Western France when the Nazi troops arrived in the early stages of [[World War II]].
==Sights==
Churches [[St John the Baptist]] (19th century) and Saint Christau (eleventh century). Benquet is a stopover on the medieval pilgrimage route to [[Way of St James|Santiago Compostela]] (route of [[Vézelay]]). Benquet boasts a  the privately owned [[château de Laurens Castelet]] and a "miraculous" spring, close to the church of St Christau.
<gallery>
Benquet château.JPG|Château de Benquet
Benquet St Christau 1.JPG|11th century church
</gallery>
[[Henry IV of France|King Henri IV]] had an elegant home in Benquet: the Château-Vieux lodge (no longer exists).
==Religion and language==
People are mostly Catholic. The official language is French. The [[Gascon language]] is still spoken by some elderly people on some occasions.
==Recreational activities==
Hunting (woodcocks, pheasants...) and fishing are very popular + walking (pilgrims to Santiago are still to be met), cycling, basketball playing.
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==Events==
* Music Festival Atout Choeurs : early May
* Fair of Benquet : early July
==See also==
* [[Communes of the Landes département]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.communedebenquet.com Site the village of Benquet (in French)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051122144946/http://roitelets.benquet.free.fr/ Site of the Roitelets basketballclub (in French)]
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{| align="center" cellpadding="2" border="0" style="border: 1px solid #999; white-space: nowrap"
|-
| width="30%" align="center" bgcolor="#bbbbff"| Previous stop<br /> '''[[Saint-Pierre-du-Mont (Landes)|Saint Pierre-du-Mont]] '''
| width="40%" align="center" bgcolor="#ddddff"| '''[[Way of St James|Santiago Compostela pilgrimage]] '''<br /><br /> '''[[Via Lemovicensis]]'''
| width="30%" align="center" bgcolor="#bbbbff"| Next stop<br /> ''' [[Saint-Sever]]'''
|}
{{Commons category}}
{{Landes communes}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Communes of Landes (department)]]
{{Landes-geo-stub}}